Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5200 Human civilisation  »  5571 surgery

The physical removal of part of the human body, either in response to severe illness or as a form of punishment.

Medical surgery

Ezekiel 30:21

Punitive surgery

Deuteronomy 25:12; Judges 1:6-7; 1 Samuel 17:51; Samuel 31:9; 2 Samuel 4:7,12; 2 Kings 25:7

Ritual or cultural surgery

Castration

The primary meaning of “eunuch” in the OT is “court officer” and need not always imply castration; similarly with the NT counterpart:

2 Kings 20:18; Esther 2:3; Isaiah 56:3; Matthew 19:12; Acts 8:27

Circumcision

Genesis 17:10-14; Exodus 4:25; Leviticus 12:3; Joshua 5:8; Luke 2:21

Dismemberment

A solemn call to the nation to act:

Judges 19:29; 1 Samuel 11:7

Ear piercing

Exodus 21:5-6 There may be a reference to this in Ps 40:6.

Pagan mutilation

Leviticus 19:28; Deuteronomy 14:1; 1 Kings 18:28

Animal sacrifices

Genesis 15:10; Exodus 29:17; Leviticus 1:6,12; Leviticus 3:9

Miraculous surgery

Genesis 2:21-22; Luke 22:50-51

Spiritual surgery

Heart transplant

Ezekiel 36:26

Amputation

Matthew 5:29-30 Jesus Christ is using hyperbole (deliberate exaggeration) to stress the need at times for radical action. See also Matthew 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-47

Grafting

Romans 11:17-24

Pruning

Isaiah 18:5; John 15:1-2

Felling

Isaiah 10:33-34; Luke 3:9

See also

5012  heart
5285  cures
5309  eunuchs
5372  knife
5405  medicine
5482  punishment
6728  regeneration
7332  child sacrifice
7334  circumcision
7346  death penalty
7422  ritual
7435  sacrifice, in OT